Instant Ocean Biopolymer Nitrate Reducer

[HighlandReefer]

I couldn't find anything else that directly links this product to a patent. If you find it is the wrong link, let us know.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Instant Ocean may not publicize the patent since it is also a quick way to figure out what it is and use a DIY or have other companies copy it. If soemone has a real bottle, it may state the patent number on the bottle. I think that may be a requirement, actually.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Randy, a couple more links which may help:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=WG...Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=US Patent 7244358&f=false

http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/091229/Spectrum-Brands-Inc_10-K/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here are some sources for those wanting to experiment with a DIY:

http://www.shapelock.com/page2.html

http://www.sunshinecrafts.com/dept_view.php?DPath=JEWELRY~JWFP~JWFPPEL&Page=1

FWIW, I'm thinking on it.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Friendly Plasitc Pellets - 25 lb. pail = $299.99

http://www.madisonartshop.com/frien...m_medium=shopping+engine&utm_campaign=froogle

 

[Fishamatank]

Interesting.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Randy,

Any chance the biodegradeable Packing Peanuts would work?

http://www.officedepot.com/a/produc...-EC81-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

Office Depot® Brand Loose Fill Packing Peanuts (100% biodegradable), 1.5 Cubic FeetItem # 578376 Price $8.79

 

[HighlandReefer]

This is a link to the MSDS Sheet for Biodegradable Starch Loosefill
Packaging Material
_________________________________________________________________
I. MANUFACTURING COMPANY: Clean Green Packing Company
720 Florida Avenue South
Golden Valley, Minnesota 55426

http://www.starchtech.com/specs/cgp_msds.pdf

From it:

2 - Composition/Information on Ingredients:
Chemical Name - Carbohydrate & Polymers
Starch from Corn or Potato
Non-Hazardous


EDIT: I just noticed this statement in the MSDS Sheet:

"III. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Product will Dissolve in Water
Product is Rod Shaped: 1.25” L x 0.65” D
Product is White or Green in Color"

 

[unbreakable]

so those links provided are the same as IO product? is it the same thing as the NP biopellets?

 

[sowellj]

If that patent covers it, the polymer is polycaprolactone:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycaprolactone

Its a bit of a stretch maybe, but perhaps the polymer undergoes B oxidation, ... which would ultimately enter the citric acid cycle as acetyl CoA (which is presumably how ethanol and vinegar are utilized). Randy, aren't there issues w/unsaturated aliphatic chains in the beta oxidation pathway?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, the peanuts will dissolve too fast.

I do not know if the polymer in the patent works, but the links I gave are the polymers in the patent.

Some bacteria can consume all kinds of organics, even totally "unnatural" ones like toluene. So it does not surprise me this is (or could be) easily metabolized.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, this links suggests there are many biodegradation pathways for the monomer:

http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?sid=8367

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/97516974/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Heterogeneous biodegradation of polycaprolactone - low molecular weight products and surface changes
Minna Hakkarainen, Ann-Christine Albertsson *
Department of Polymer Technology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH),

Abstract
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that caprolactone, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, cyclic dimer and cyclic trimer were rapidly assimilated from the surface of polycaprolactone (PCL) films aged in mineral medium inoculated with a mixed culture of compost microorganisms. The degradation in biotic medium proceeded heterogeneously and scanning electron micrographs revealed the formation of parallel grooves, spherical and non-spherical holes in the films. The parallel grooves seen in the scanning electron micrographs after 14 d suggest that the degradation starts preferentially at the amorphous regions. At longer time scales, even the crystalline regions are degraded producing large spherical and non-spherical holes. Comparison of the degradation of melt-pressed and film-blown films made from the same PCL granules in different biotic and abiotic environments showed that both the type of microorganism used and the initial morphology of the films influence the surface erosion pattern and biodegradation mechanism. Rapid degradation and molecular weight decrease required the combined effect of temperature and microorganisms obtained during a biodegradation process, such as composting.

 

[Canarygirl]

I was reading about the NP biopellets here: http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=86_779&products_id=5743

At $99/liter, way too rich for my blood. Wonder how IO can patent a product that is already out?

 

[Flavordsm]

So could you put some of this polycaprolactone (Friendly Plastics Pellets) into say a phosban reactor and it would provide food for your bacteria to lower trates and phos?

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

Whenever I googled "friendly plastics" I got this link that referenced "eco-friendly plastics" Do you think this may be it.

"PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are linear polyesters produced by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids (fats). They are produced by the bacteria to store carbon and energy. More than 150 different monomers can be combined within this family to give materials with extremely different properties. These plastics are biodegradeable and are used in the production of bioplastics. However, the high cost of PHA production compared to conventional plastics has limited their use in a wide range of applications."

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/05/19/microscopic.manufacturers.produce.eco.friendly.plastics

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I believe it is only polycaprolactone. I found an MSDS that identified it as such by the CAS number(24980-41-4), which only applies to polycaprolactone and not any other polyhydroxyalkanoates.

http://www.amaco.com/pdfs/MSDS-Friendly Plastic.pdf

 

[HighlandReefer]

The cheapest source I have found is here (They get it from China):

http://letsmakerobots.com/node/11563

1Kg for $22 USD (plus shipping)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So are you going to go for it?

 

[HighlandReefer]

The website is in Chinese. I emailed the representative to get a price for total costs (including shipping from China). I also asked if there would be a reduced price if larger quantites were ordered.

Will see how much shipping is, but I expect it to be cheaper than perhaps the other prices I have found so far.

I'm in to give it a try for these prices.